News about agriculture in New York State and information farmers and consumers can use in their daily lives.

Thursday, April 13, 2017

State Warns Poultry Farmers About Avian Flu

From State Department of Agriculture and Markets

State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball has reminded New York poultry farmers to practice biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of avian influenza.

Two cases of highly pathogenic H7N9 avian influenza have been reported in Tennessee and several cases of a less serious strain have been reported in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and Wisconsin. No cases have been reported in New York.

The avian influenza strains detected in other states are not considered to be threats to public health, but can be deadly to birds.

To prevent avian influenza from infecting poultry flocks in New York State, the Department is encouraging poultry producers and visitors to farms to follow best practices, which include:

** Discourage unnecessary visitors and use biosecurity signs to warn people not to enter buildings without permission** Ask all visitors if they have had any contact with any birds in the past five days** Forbid entry to employees and visitors who own any kind of fowl** Require all visitors to cover and disinfect all footwear** Lock all entrances to chicken houses after hours** Avoid non-essential vehicular traffic on-farm** After hauling birds to processors, clean and disinfect poultry transport coops and vehicles before they return to the farm

Report anything unusual, especially sick or dead birds, to the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.